PRAG Archive

PRAG: Policy Research Action Group

Founded in 1989, PRAG was a consortium of community-based and community-focused nonprofit organizations and urban universities which included Chicago State University, DePaul University, Loyola University Chicago and University of Illinois, Chicago.

For nearly 15 years, PRAG played a catalytic role that helped change the research landscape and transform a relationship that was either adversarial or non-existent to one that was engaged and productive. Today, there are hundreds of community/university collaborations across the country, even around the world. Visitors from England, El Salvador, and even Australia, came to Chicago to consult with PRAG about its approach.

MISSION

PRAG's mission was to facilitate collaborative relationships between universities and CBOs, supporting actionable research that led to social change and leadership development in the public policy arena. All funded research activity involved a collaborative process through which university-based researchers and community-based organizations functioned as equal partners.

Long time Chicago Activist Kale Williams with Senator Paul Simon at a PRAG meeting.

CORE GROUP

The PRAG Core Group was comprised of representatives from community-based organizations. This kept the issue of equal university/community partnerships on the front burner. The Core Group discussed and set the policies governing PRAG activities. The members and their affiliations are listed below:

Stephen Alexander: DePaul University

Brian Banks: Policy Research Action Group

Thomas Heaney: National-Louis University

Maureen Hellwig: Policy Research Action Group

William Howard: West Humboldt Park Family & Community Development Center